The Music Box
by RedWolfZakuro
Summary: Anastasia I felt like novelizing the 1997 animated movie. I took out the unnecessary magic, and the characters don't really sing. But the songs are in the dialogue. Anya, Dimitri, Vlad and Pooka are in it. Please, please, please read and review!
1. Once Upon a December

Anastasia

Novelized by RedWolfZakuro

Disclaimer: I do not own this movie, or story, or anything in it. I just felt like writing it out.

Chapter One: Once Upon a December

There was a time, not very long ago, when we lived in an enchanted world of elegant palaces and grand parties. The year was 1913, and my son, Nicholas was the Czar of Imperial Russia. We were celebrating the 300th anniversary of our family rule, and that night no star burned brighter than that of our sweet Anastasia, my youngest granddaughter. She begged me not to return to Paris, so I had a special gift for her, to make the separation easier, for both of us.

"Oh, for me?" she squealed with delight as I handed her the little golden box. "Is it a jewelry box?"

"Look," I said, and placed a key in a hidden lock. The top opened and a waltz tinkled out, making her giggle again, her eyes wide with wonder.

"It plays our lullaby!"

"Yes. You can play it at night before you go to sleep and pretend that it's me singing." She joined me in the song: "On the wind, 'Cross the sea, Hear this song and remember: Soon you'll be, Home with me, Once upon a December." I then gave her the key, which was a necklace. "Read what it says," I told her.

"Together… in Paris," she read. "OH, really, Grandmamma?" She gave me one of her precious hugs and I smiled. But was not to be.

The people twirled about in their dance, beautiful as any royal, and no one would have believed them unhappy. But the spark of unhappiness had been fanned into a flame that would soon destroy our lives forever.

Two weeks later, there was a siege on the palace. As we tried to leave, she turned back to find her music box. I followed her, but they had broken into the palace. We were trapped in that little room.

"Hurry, Anastasia," I tried to move her towards the door.

A servant boy, who I now vaguely remember, came into the room. He had a panicked look on his face. "Anastasia! They're looking for you! You have to get out of here." His perfectly parted hair flew around his face as he grabbed her arm and pulled her to a hidden door. "Come this way, through the servants quarters!" He pushed me through the door too. Anastasia dropped her music box in the room once again, but the boy hurried her away. "Go, go!" He shut the door, and we heard a crash as the guards broke into the room.

There were distant voices demanding, "Where are they, boy?" We heard no reply except a series of crashes. We breathed with relief as we reached the train station.

"Oh, no! Hurry. Keep up with me, darling! We caught up with the moving train, and the passengers pulled me on, but my little Anastasia could not keep up. "Take my hand, oh, Anastasia!" She grasped it for seconds, but slipped away as the train gained speed. "Anastasia!" I cried, but the others on the train would not let me off. The last I saw of her was lying with the Paris necklace next to the track.

What had always been was now gone forever, and Anastasia, my beloved Anastasia…I never saw her again…

AN-This is just the introduction. I promise the next chapter will be longer. Also, I'm taking the fantasy out of it, just to make it less Disney (I know it's Fox). I don't know if anybody will even read this. But if you do, please review. I really want to know how I'm doing. Actually, I just saw the movie a few days ago for the first time, but I think I can write it. It's one of my many mini-obsessions. So, yeah. Please review.


	2. Journey to the Past

-1Anastasia

Novelized by RedWolfZakuro

Disclaimer: I do not own this movie, or story, or anything in it. I just felt like writing it out.

Chapter Two: Journey to the Past

A large man walked through the streets of St. Petersburg, looking around at the civilians. The one topic of their conversation was one thing: The Princess Anastasia.

"Although the Czar did not survive, his youngest daughter still may live," one vendor told a small group of people. They all gasped, although this information was not knew to them. Since the revolution, their lives had been so gray… Nothing brought them more cheer than gossip, and what better to talk about than the possibility of an heir to the Russian throne? "But please do not repeat!" He added as a mounted guard glared at him from a street corner.

As the fat man passed another vendor, she called him over to her. Another group was already gathered. "They say her royal Grandmamma will pay a royal sum," she began, handing out merchandise all the time, "to someone who can bring the princess back!"

He hurried up stairs toward another part of the city when a whistle behind him sounded. "Vlad!" He turned at the sound of his name.

"Dimitri!" They exchanged hurried words, then continued on, continually stopped by more vendors, who were selling everything from Romonov paintings to Count Yusupov's pajamas. They reached the abandoned building they were staying at. "Well, Dimitri, I got us a theater."

"Everything's going according to plan. Now all we need is the girl!" Dimitri turned, smiling. "Just think, Vlad, no more forging papers, no more stolen goods. You and I, friend, will go down in history! We'll have three tickets out of here: one for you, one for me, and one for Anastasia!" He jumped up on the windowsill and looked out at the dull city. "We'll find a girl to play the part and teach her what to say. We'll dress her up and take her to Paris. Imagine the reward her dear old Grandmamma will pay. Who else could pull it off? We'll be rich!"

"We'll be rich!" Vladimir echoed.

"We'll be out! And St. Petersburg will have some more to talk about. This is going to be the biggest con in history!"

"Goodbye! Goodbye, everybody!" The girl waved at her former orphanage roommates as she walked out into the snow. Her red hair was barely visible under the cap she wore, and her dress was too big. A large coat hung loose over that, with a purple scarf tied around her face and neck.

"I got you a job in the fish factory. You go straight down this path till you get to the fork in the road. Go left-- are you even listening?" The old matron yelled.

"Goodbye! I'm listening, Comrade Phlegmenkoff." She sadly turned her attention back to the old woman.

"You've been a thorn in my side since you were brought here." She grabbed the girl's scarf and dragged her to the gate at the front of the orphanage. "Acting like the queen of Sheba instead of the nameless no-account you are. For the last ten years--" The girl, still following, mouthed along, "I've fed you, I've clothed you, I've--"

"Kept a roof over my head."

The matron turned from unlocking the gate. "How _is_ it that you don't have a clue as to who you were before you came to us but you can remember all that?"

"Well, I _do_ have a clue to who I--"

"Ack, I know. 'Together in Paris,'" she said, picking up the necklace from around the girl's neck. "So you want to go to France to find you're family, huh?"

The girl nodded.

"Little miss Anya. It's time you take your place in life. In life and in line, and be grateful too." She slammed the gate in Anya's face. " 'Together in Paris!' Bah. Be grateful!"

Anya walked along the snow covered road until she came to the mentioned fork. Mimicking Phlegmenkoff's rusty voice, she said, " 'Be grateful.' I am grateful. Grateful to get away! 'Go left' she says. Well, I know what's to the left. I'll be Anya the orphan forever. But…If I go _right,_ maybe I could find… Whoever gave me this necklace _must_ have loved me. Who am I kidding? This is crazy. _Me_, go to Paris?" Looking up at the sky, she opened her arms. "Send me a sign! A-a hint! Anything!"

She heard a rustling behind her. A little grey dog came out from behind a tree. It barked, then grabbed her scarf and ran a few steps away.

Anya laughed, but told him sternly, "Hey! I don't have time to play right now, okay? I'm waiting for a sign." The dog yipped happily again, dragging the scarf farther away. When she chased it, it circled around her and she tripped, falling face flat in the snow. The dog, meanwhile, had moved farther along the path to St. Petersburg, whimpering quizzically at her.

"Oh, great," she said sarcastically. "A _dog _wants me to go to St. Petersburg." Then she gasped, a look of interest on her face. "All right, I can take a hint." She cautiously picked up the scarf, approaching the dog. The dog, seemingly satisfied, happily followed her as she began her journey to the large city.

"You know, I think someone's waiting there for me. Home, love, family. I must have had them once. Maybe somebody there will help me. Years of dreams just _can't_ be wrong. Please, let this road be mine. Let it bring me home at last." She smiled down at the dog and nodded her head for him to come with her.

After reaching the town, she went to the train station. Reaching the barrier, she said, "One ticket to Paris, please."

"Exit visa," said the clerk in a bored tone. His uniform was the most colorful thing she had seen since she got to the big city.

"Exit visa?" Anya asked, confused.

"No exit visa? NO TICKET!" He slammed the window closed.

"Psst!" Anya looked around. A short, old woman was motioning for her to come closer. Her drab clothes blended perfectly with the surroundings. Anya leaned closer to her. "See Dimitri. He can help."

"Where can I find him?"

"At the old palace." Anya started away, but was called back. "But you didn't hear it from _me_."

"Oh," said Anya with understanding. "Dimitri. Hmm."

"Go, go!" The old woman encouraged, pushing her along.

"All right, all right."

Dimitri yawned. It was so late. After so many auditions, and still no Anastasia.

"And I look like princess!" said the girl who was currently on the stage. "I dance like a feather!" Her dancing, in reality, was similar to a hippopotamus having a heart attack, but he wasn't going to say that out loud. And as for the girl's looks, well, he wasn't even going to think about a description for that.

"Yes, thank you, thank you, next please." He tried to smile. Next to him, Vladimir was practically snoring.

An old woman walked out on stage. In a low, sultry voice, she announced, "Grandma, it's _me_, Anastasia." She shook her hips a bit.

"Oh brother…" Vladimir was now crying into his arms on the table.

Outside of the theater, Vlad really started whining. "That's it, Dimitri. Game over. Our last kopeck gone for this flea infested theater. And still, no girl to pretend to be Anastasia."

"We'll find her, Vlad. She's here somewhere, right under our noses."

He bumped into a girl in a big coat, who was saying, "I'm looking for the Catherine--Excuse me-- Do you know where that is?" He barely noticed the red hair poking out from underneath her hat as he continued talking to Vlad.

"Don't forget, one look at this jewelry box and the Dowager Empress will think we've brought her the _real_ Anastasia. And before she catches on, we'll be off spending the ten million rubles! There is no way this plan will fail!"

Anya carefully walked through the courtyard, staring at the stone walls. She walked past a boarded up doorway. The dog slipped through a hole in the wood and barked. Anya came back, calling "Pooka. Pooka? Pooka, where are you?" She peered through another gap then tested the boards. Some of them pulled away after a small effort.

She walked into the dark palace, aware of every detail. "Hello? Anybody home?" Pooka answered with a small bark, but she wasn't listening. She wandered around, taking in every strangely familiar sight. Dust swirled around as her movement disturbed the long forgotten rooms. She blew a thick layer of dirt off of a plate. She saw a man twirl around with a young girl, but then her reflection returned. Anya the orphan.

"This place… It's--it's like a memory from a dream." A waltz came into her head, a tune she had always known, although she had never realized it before. "It's all so familiar…"

She danced out to the middle of an enormous ballroom, trying to remember the words someone had sung to her.

"Once upon a December…"

Upstairs at the old palace, Dimitri and Vladimir were eating dinner.

Dimitri looked up from his plate when he heard a crash downstairs. He looked at Vlad. "Did you hear something?"

"Hmm? No." Vlad smiled as he put another morsel in his mouth. "Oh, this is delicious! Where _did _you learn to cook?" Dimitri dismissed the question with a shrug as he stood up. He walked slowly down the stairs, finally reaching the ballroom.

In the middle sat a small figure, which he figured out was a girl. "Hey! What are you doing in here?" He yelled. Vlad came in behind him just as the girl looked up, startled. She ran to the opposite side where a dog was waiting.

Leaping down the rest of the stairs, he ran across the open space, Vlad panting after him.

"Stop! Stop, stop-stop-stop-stop-stop-stop! Hold on a minute! Hold on!" The boy called out behind her. He had almost caught up with her, but he didn't sound angry anymore. Just curious.

Reluctantly, she turned around to face him. He had brown hair that was brushed back, parted in the center, and hanging slightly over his brown eyes. Pooka sniffed him and growled.

"Now," he panted, "how did you get in he--here…?" He looked up at her, blinked, then a grin spread over his.

A very heavy man came up, breathless, behind him. "Excuse me, child." Glasses were on top of his wrinkled forehead. His long red coat swayed as he tried to regain his breath.

"Vlad, Vlad! Do you see what I see?" The boy whispered to him.

"Hmm? No."

The young man pulled his glasses down over his eyes. Vlad gasped. "Yes! Yes!"

The boy picked up Pooka, a disapproving look on his face. "A dog," he scoffed. He handed him to Vlad, saying, "Cute."

Tired of this strange exchange, Anya sighed. "Are you Dimitri?"

"Perhaps. That all depends on who's looking for him," he replied with a chuckle. He smiled, moving away from Vlad, who was getting on very well with Pooka.

"My name is Anya. I need travel papers." She continued in a whisper. "They say you're the man to see, even though I can't tell you who said that and--" Dimitri was walking around behind her, thoughtfully holding his chin. "Hey, and wha--hey! Why are you circling me? What, uh, what were you a vulture in another life?"

"I'm sorry, Enya--"

"It's _Anya_," she corrected him, pointedly poking him in the chest.

"Anya. It's just that--"

"_Anya_."

"It's just that you look an awful lot like--" He gestured at a portrait behind her, and she turned, but when he did not continue, she looked back at him. "Uh, never mind. Um, now, you said something about travel papers."

"Yes. I'd like to go to Paris."

"You'd like to go to _Paris_?"

"Mm-hmm."

Vladimir was holding Pooka, who was delightedly barking. "Oh, who is this here? Oh! Oh, look! Oh, he likes me!" Pooka was licking his face.

"Nice dog," said Dimitri unenthusiastically. "Now, let me ask you something, _Anya_, was it? There's a last name that goes with that?"

"Well, actually," she started, rubbing her forehead. "This is gonna sound crazy.I don't know my last name. I was found wandering around when I was eight years old."

"And before that? Before you were eight?"

"Look, I know it's strange, but I don't remember. I have very few memories of my past."

"That's… perfect," Dimitri said to himself.

"Well, I do have one clue, however, and that is Paris." She said, fingering the necklace. "So, can--So, can you two help me or not?" she finally had their attention.

"Sure would like to. In fact, oddly enough, we're going to Paris ourselves. And I have three--" he held up four tickets, one of which was to the Russian circus. "Well, this one is… But I have three tickets here. Unfortunately, the third one is for her: Anastasia."

"Oh." Vlad and Dimitri grabbed her arms and pulled her over to another painting.

"We are going to reunite the grand duchess with her grandmother," said Vladimir.

"You know, you do kind of resemble her."

"The same blue eyes."

"The Romonov eyes!"

"Nicholas's smile."

"Alexandra's chin."

"Oh, look. She even has the grandmother's hands."

"She's the same age, the same physical type--"

Anya's confusion turned to understanding. "Are you trying to tell me that you think that _I_ am Anastasia?"

"All I'm saying is, I've seen thousands of girls all over the country and not _one_ of them looks as much like the Grand Duchess as you. I mean, look at the portrait!"

"I knew you were crazy from the beginning, but now I think you are _both_ mad." She began walking away, but Dimitri headed her off.

"Why? You don't know what happened to you."

"And no one knows what happened to her."

"You're looking for family, in Paris."

"And her only family is in Paris!"

"You ever thought about the possibility?"

"That _I_ could be royalty? Well, I don't know. It's kind of hard to think of yourself as a duchess when you're sleeping on a damp floor. But sure, yeah. I guess every lonely girl would hope she's a princess."

"And, somewhere, one little girl is. After all, the name Anastasia means she will rise again."

Dimitri pulled them apart, leading Vladimir away. "Really wish we could help, but the third ticket _is_ for the Grand Duchess Anastasia. Good luck."

As they walked back across the ballroom, Vlad began panicking. "Why didn't you tell her about our brilliant plan?"

"All she wants to do is go to Paris. Why give away a third of the reward money?"

"I'm telling you, we're walking away too soon."

"Not to worry. I've got it all under control. All right, but, walk a little slower."

Anya was examining the portrait of the Empress. What if…? No. But if she agreed, they would take her to Paris. So, what harm was there in it?

"Three, two, one…"

"Dimitri, wait!"

"Ha!"

"Right in the palm of our hand!"

Dimitri looked back at Anya who was running after them. "Did--did you call me?"

"If _I_ don't remember who I am, then who's not to say I'm not a princess or a duchess or what ever she is, right? Yeah, and if I'm not, then the empress will certainly know right away and it's all just an honest mistake."

"Sounds plausible."

"But, if you _are_ Anastasia, you'll finally know who you are and have your family back!"

"You know, you know he's right. Either way, it gets you to Paris."

"Right!" They shook hands, apparently too hard, because Dimitri pulled away rubbing his wrist. "Pooka, we are going to Paris!"

"Uh, the dog stays," Dimitri said.

"What are you talking about? The dog goes."

"No, the dog does not go."

"I say he's going."

"I'm allergic to dogs."

"The dog is coming."

"Just leave the dog."

"I am _not _leaving the dog!"

"We've got a train to catch." Vlad interrupted. They looked up from the argument, as if they had been unaware that another person was present.

"Fine, bring the stupid dog."


	3. Rides and Wrecks

-1Anastasia

Novelized by RedWolfZakuro

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, or the plot, or the setting, or anything else in this.

A/N- Firstly, I would like to thank A Catholic Girl. You have no idea how happy you just made me. I was literally giddy. Thank you! Okay, secondly, this is my favorite scene in the whole movie! Yay! Third, I took out Rasputin so there's a different (lame) reason for the train crash. But it works. So oh well. And, last, I noticed that in the last chapter I used the same words too many times, so I'll try to avoid that in the future. Please, please, please review!

The long passenger train rumbled along in the sparkling winter sunlight. Dimitri was handing the driver their tickets, asking when they would arrive. Vladimir sat in the compartment with Anya, doing a last minute check over the traveling papers. Pooka was asleep next to him, having a dream about chasing a cat and running upside-down. Vlad tickled him with the end of the quill.

Dimitri walked in, carrying the last of their suitcases, as Pooka woke up and growled at the sight of him. Anya, who was gazing out of the window, moved back in her seat as he leaned over her, stowing the bag. He began to sit across from her, but a sharp bark and a series of snarls made him jump back up.

He rolled his eyes. "Oh, the mutt gets the window seat." He settled into the seat next to Anya instead. She picked up the little golden necklace, fingering the little leaves that laced the edges. "Stop fiddling with that thing. And sit up strait. Remember: you're a grand duchess."

"How is it you know what grand duchesses do or don't do?" She asked, folding her arms and slumping further into her seat.

He leaned over her. "I make it my business to know."

"Oh."

"Look, Anya, I'm just trying to help, all right?"

She sat up very strait on the edge of her chair. Flirtingly, she asked, "Dimitri? Do you really think I'm royalty?"

"You know I do." He smiled.

She put her face very close to his. "Then stop bossing me around!" She turned back to the window.

Laughing at Dimitri's expression, Vlad said quietly, "She certainly has a mind of her own."

"Yeah. I hate that in a woman."

Anya stuck her tongue out at him, but quickly returned her attention to the window. Vlad pulled a piece of paper out of his coat that read, "Dimitri, three, Anya, twenty-three." He added two more checks to Anya's side.

"Well, I'm going to see what they have in that wonderful dining car," He said, standing up and stretching.

"Hmm… Maybe I'll go with you." As he got up to leave, he glared at Anya. She paid no attention.

Once seated at a small table next to the counter in the last car of the train, Vlad began eating a pastry that smelled delicious. Dimitri refused one, being bent on venting his frustration with Anya.

"You know, I've known her for less than twenty-four hours and already she treats me like I'm some obnoxious-- I don't know."

"You really ought to be nicer to her. We want her to work with us, if we're going to pull this off."

"Now you're on her side?"

"No, I'm just saying if we want her to cooperate it might help if she's not fuming the whole time."

"Vlad, I can't believe you of _all_ people would be agreeing with _her_."

"Maybe you should just apologize," Vlad tried innocently.

Simmering, Dimitri stood up. "You know what--" At a look from Vlad, he cooled down. "Oh, all right."

"Oh, dear. Did you see that?" Vlad asked Pooka. "Maybe we should just check on them…"

Back in the compartment, Dimitri found Anya reading a book. He sat down opposite her, leaning his elbows on his knees. "Look, I think we got off on the wrong foot."

She looked up from the book. "Well, I think we did too. But I appreciate your apology."

"Apology? Who said anything about an apology? I was just saying that we--"

"Please, just don't talk anymore, okay? It's only going to upset me." She put the book down on the seat beside her.

"Fine. I'll be quiet. I'll be quiet if you will."

"All right, I'll be quiet." She put her feet up on the bench next to Dimitri.

"Fine."

"Fine." She was so calm.

"Fine," He shot back.

"Fine." Sitting up and putting her feet down, she asked, "You think you're going to miss it?"

"Miss what? You're talking?"

"_No_. Russia" She said, vaguely motioning at the window.

Dimitri looked down at his fingernails. "Nope."

"But it was your home."

"It was a place I once lived. End of story."

"Then you must plan on making Paris your true home."

What was with her? Why couldn't she let it go? "What _is_ it with you and homes?" He crossed his legs on the opposite seat. Anya stood up.

"Well, for one thing, it's something that every _normal _person wants." She walked into his legs but he didn't move. "And for another thing, it's a thing where you just, you know--"

"What?"

"Oh, forget it!" She climbed onto the seat and past him. She then walked into Vlad, who had entered the car. "Oh, thank goodness it's you. Just please remove him from my sight!"

Dimitri made faces behind her back.

"What have you done to her?" Vlad demanded.

"Me? It's her!" Vlad was taking her side!

"Ha!" She stomped out of the compartment, slamming the glass door shut after her. It rattled dangerously.

"Oh, no!" Vlad said, cuddling Pooka. "An unspoken attraction!"

Dimitri gasped. " 'Attraction?' For that skinny little brat--Have you lost your mind?" He also stormed out the door, sliding it closed with such a force it almost shattered.

Confused, Vlad looked at Pooka. "I was only asking a simple question."

"Attraction. Ridiculous!" He stalked off in the opposite direction. How could he think that? What possessed him… _That_ was impossible. It would _never_ happen. _I simply won't allow it_, he thought.

Later, when the sun was setting, Vlad was doing another check on the papers. He passed a group of people on his way back from the dining car (his fifth trip that day).

"Last month, the traveling papers were blue." Vlad smiled at the bright blue ink on his picture. "But now they are red."

"Wha--?" He shoved past another couple in his hurry back to their compartment.

"How rude!"

Sliding the door closed, he looked at the sleeping Anya. Her coat was draped across her. Looking curiously at Dimitri, he told him, "That's what I hate about this government. Everything's in _red_."

Dimitri, who was admiring the handiwork on his own paper, looked up, alarmed. "Red?"

"I propose we move to the baggage car. Quickly, before the guards come!"

"I propose we get off this train!" He said, pulling a suitcase down from the rack. Vlad took it and carried it away. He shook Anya gently. "Hey," he said softly. She rolled over and her hand came flying up, smacking him in the nose. "Ow!"

Finally she woke up. "Oh, sorry. I thought you were someone else--oh, it's you. Well, that's okay then." She stood up.

"Come on. We've gotta go."

"Where are we going?"

"I think you broke my nose!" He said rather thickly, avoiding the question.

"Men are such _babies,_" She said, pulling on her coat and picking up her small bag. She followed him toward the engine, noticing that both men seemed rather nervous.

The walked into the next car. Vlad shivered but Dimitri looked around, saying, "Yes. Yes, this will do nicely." Anya heard the falseness in his voice.

"She'll freeze in here," Vlad whispered to him, hugging himself against the cold.

"She can thaw in Paris," Dimitri replied quietly.

"The baggage car?" Both of them looked at her, innocent grins on their faces. "There wouldn't be anything wrong with our papers, now would there, maestro?" She smirked.

"Of _course_ not, Your Grace. It's just that I--I hate to see you _forced _to mingle with all those _commoners._" He took her bag and set it on the floor.

They heard a loud bang, then the train lurched. It was gaining speed. "Someone's coming. Quickly, hide!" They knelt down in the shadows, doing their best to stay hidden among the luggage. A man came running through from the engine. Dimitri gasped as he almost tripped over Anya's bag, but the man was so panicked he didn't hear it. He made his way into the first passenger car.

In the first passenger car, the man found the guards. "We have to stop the train!" he gasped breathlessly. "It's going too fast, the engine overheated! There's a broken bridge ahead, and I can't turn onto the other set of tracks. Unbelievably, the breaks and the wheels have frozen."

"We'll help you uncouple the baggage car." said one of the others gruffly.

"We can't! It's attached to the engine. We have to do it here."

"Then at least let us move the luggage in here."

"There's no time. We barely have enough track before the bridge now. Come on!"

"Oh, so we're _not_ hiding from the authorities?"

Dimitri ignored her. Then all at once the train lurched and they were thrown to the ground. A heavy suitcase fell on him, and he tripped over Anya.

"What was that?"

Vlad went to the door, which was now open. "I don't know, but there goes the dining car!"

"Get off of me!" She gasped.

"I'm _trying_." He wriggled out from beneath the case but their long coats were tangled together.

"Uh, Dimitri," Vlad started in a worried tone.

"What?" he responded impatiently, finally pulling his coat away from Anya's.

"I think someone has flambéed our engine!" Sparks were pouring out of the engine and past the coal, ricocheting around the baggage car that they were now alone in.

Dimitri ran to Vlad's side. He climbed out, throwing his coat back at Anya. "Something's not right. Wait here. I'll check it out.

"Will he be all right?" She asked, watching stumble across the bouncing bed of coals.

"He'll be fine," Vlad assured her.

Dimitri climbed into the engine. "Anybody here?" He looked at the thermometer, but it exploded and more flames licked at the wood of the floor.

Anya looked at the surroundings. "We're going way too fast!"

Then Dimitri dropped right in front of her face. "Nobody's driving this train! We're gonna have to jump!"

"Did you say jump?" she yelled over the roar of the engine. He ran to the side and slid the door open. Frigid air poured in. They both leaned over the edge, looking at the deep valley rushing past. "After you!"

"Fine. Then we'll uncouple the car." He went back to the door near the engine. He sat on the chains connecting the cars. "Come on! I need a wrench, an ax, anything!"

"Here!" Vlad handed him a hammer out of a box of tools. Anya, too searched the suitcases for something that might be useful. Pooka barked, directing her attention to a box marked "explosives." She smiled, and pulled one out.

Dimitri tried to pry the links apart, but the head of the hammer broke off. "Come on. There's gotta be something in there better than this!" Anya came to the door and handed him the lit stick of dynamite.

"That'll work," he said, rather dazed by it. He wedged it in between two of the links. "Go, go, go!"

They barred themselves behind luggage again. Vlad covered his ears and Anya hid her head under her arms. Even Dimitri flinched as it exploded, demolishing the front end of the hold, but effectively separating the two cars.

"What do they teach you in those orphanages?"

Anya hmphed. Did he really think she was that stupid?

"The brakes are out!" Vlad yelled.

"Turn harder!" said Dimitri, finishing beating the small fires. The wheel came off of the brakes.

Looking at that, he tried to smile. "Don't worry. We have plenty of track. We'll just coast to a stop!" The train jolted again as they went around a bend in the tracks. They got up, brushing themselves off, and gasped. The bridge was gone. Simply not there. No track. No stop.

"You were saying?" Anya asked, but she clung to his arm.

He moved toward the back of the car, shouting, "I've got an idea, Vlad. Give me a hand with this." He moved a chain close to the door, then lowered himself outside. Anya crawled to the opening on all fours, and saw that he had braced himself with one hand free. "Hand me the chain!" Anya began to drop the chain to him. "Not _you_."

Anya looked behind her, where Vlad had just fallen into an open box and was struggling to get back up. "Vlad's busy at the moment." He hesitated, then took it from her. He looped it around the bottom of the train car, pulling it as tight as he could.

Then the brakes on the front wheels came loose. They bounced under the train, and almost hit him. He tried to pull himself farther up and back in, but couldn't find anything to grab. His supporting hand slipped.

"No, no!"

He felt a small hand grasp his, and pull him back up. He recovered his footing and handholds. He looked up and found his face inches from Anya's. She was looking at him, panting slightly from the effort of hoisting him back up. He gazed back, into her eyes…

A sharp bang behind them startled them out of the trance and they looked around, eyes wide. The broken train pieces had knocked a tree over and were crumpled in a heap on the tracks.

Anya sighed, pulling Dimitri all the way into the car. "And to think that could have been you."

"If we live through this, remind me to thank you." He looked at her.

They knelt down and began to heave the rest of the chain outside. "Here goes nothing! Brace yourselves!" They chain slid to its full length, then caught on the tracks. It pulled up the tracks, dragging wood and metal behind them. For the third time, they were thrown to the floor.

The car moved off the tracks and slid sideways, but slowed considerably. They all moved to the doorway, carrying four suitcases and Pooka amongst them.

"Well, this is our stop!" Anya shouted. They jumped into the speeding snow.

Anya curled up, afraid to move as she heard the engine and baggage cars go over the cliff. Finally she stood, to see Vlad and Dimitri also recovering.

Dimitri looked skeptically at Vlad. "I _hate_ trains. Remind me _never_ to get on the train again."

"Wasn't I also supposed to remind you to thank me?" Anya asked.

"Hmph." Unspoken attraction indeed.


	4. Learning To Do It

-1Novelized by RedWolfZakuro

Disclaimer: I obviously don't own any of this [sobs. I don't think I was even born when they started production.

A/N-- Thanks, A Catholic Girl, again. I'm flattered. (I'm a girl, by the way.) Anonymous person, you're right, I did find a few mistakes (ex Anya had twenty-_five _marks and _then_ Vlad added two. LOL) Sorry it took so long to get this chapter up, but school work, you know. That and I can't use the computer after 9:00. [sigh… Well, here goes chapter four. It's a little bit short. Sorry.

After the train crashed, the trio was left with no choice but to walk: either towards their destination or back to St. Petersburg.

"Are we walking to Paris?" asked Anya one morning. They had been walking for weeks, and the somewhat monotonous pounding of their feet was beginning to tire Anya. Of course, conversation with Dimitri was never dull, but they were so comfortable with each other now that the constant teasing had begun to bore them both. They no longer argued perpetually, and Vlad was relieved from his job of mediating. Dimitri came to his senses and decided that Vlad was not taking sides, and the three of them got on fairly well.

"We'll take a boat in Germany."

"Oh, then we're walking to Germany."

"No, Your Grace. We're taking a bus."

"A _bus_," Anya sighed. She thought about it, then yawned. They should have been to Paris by now. "That's nice…"

They plodded on through Poland, and even Pooka grew tired of their travels. The days melted together, turning from snow to spring, and they took off their long overcoats. As they neared the border of Germany, Vlad became increasingly happy. Every morning he danced around humming in the sparkling sunlight.

"Sophie, my dear, Vlady's on his way!" he sang early one morning as they crossed a wooden bridge over a shallow stream.

They set the suitcases down on the dirt path, resting in the dappled shade of the blossoming trees. Anya draped her coat over the one she was sitting on and looked up at Dimitri. "Who's Sophie?"

"Who is Sophie?" answered Vlad, twirling around. "She's a tender little morsel, a cup of hot chocolate after a long walk in the snow!"

Dimitri got up and motioned at Vlad, who ignored him. He turned back to Anya and laughed falsely, then walked up to Vlad. "Vlad, ix-nay on the Ophie-say," he said through gritted teeth.

Vlad simply pulled him into a spinning waltz, continuing, "She's a decadent pastry filled with whipped cream and laughter!" He let Dimitri fall backwards, with his face next to Anya's.

"Is this a person or a cream puff?" she asked, giggling.

Vlad pulled away and threw Dimitri to the ground in his excitement. "She is the Empress's ravishing first cousin!" He began singing and tiptoeing around the little path.

Anya, thinking, stood up. "But, I thought we were going to see the Empress herself. Why are we going to see her cousin? _Dimitri_?"

Dimitri, who had been sneaking away, turned back with a sheepish grin. "Well, nobody gets near the Dowager Empress without convincing Sophie first," he said quickly, a very hopeful smile on his face.

"No, not me. No, no, nobody ever told me I had to _prove_ I was the Grand Duchess!" She walked at Dimitri, who backed up. "Show up, yes. Look nice, fine! But lie?"

"Look, I--" He recovered himself. "You don't know it's a lie. What if it's true?" This time Anya moved back, then turned away. He caught her arm. "Okay, so there's one more stop on the way to finding out who you are. I just thought this was something you had to see through to the end no matter what."

"But look at me, Dimitri," she argued, holding out the shapeless brown dress she was wearing. "I am not exactly Grand Duchess material here!"

Both groaned and stomped away, wondering why the other was so stubborn.

Anya stood on the bridge, leaning on the fence. Vlad came up next to her and handed her a rose.

"Tell me child, what do you see?" He motioned toward their reflections in the clear brook.

"I see a skinny little nobody," replied Anya miserably. "With no past, and no future." She threw the crimson flower into the water.

"_I_ see an engaging and fiery young woman, who on a number of occasions has shown a regal command equal to any royal in the world," he said, smiling. "And I have known my share of royalty. You see, my dear, I was a member of the imperial court."

Anya looked surprised, but that did not last long. Dimitri joined them on the bridge, full of smiles and energy. "So, are you ready to become the Grand Duchess Anastasia?" Anya sighed and turned away, while Vlad glared at him. "What?"

"There is nothing left for you back there, my dear. Everything is in Paris."

Anya thought about it, while both men watched her hopefully. She turned to face them. "All right, gentlemen. Start your teaching."

"I remember it well. You were born in a palace by the sea. When you were very young, you rode horseback," Vlad began.

"Really? Horseback riding?"

"Yes. You made faces and terrorized the workers in the kitchen. I seem to remember you threw one of them in the river…"

"Was I wild?"

"Wrote the book," answered Dimitri.

"You did behave when your father gave you that look," Vlad gave an example glare, "Try to imagine how it was. Your long forgotten past. We've lot's to teach you."

"There's not much time left," said Dimitri. "You'll learn as we go."

"All right. I'm ready!" They continued their journey, instructing Anya along the way.

"Shoulders back and stand up tall, never walk, but try to float."

"I feel a little foolish."

"You give a bow."

"Now what happens?"

"Your hand receives a kiss," Vlad said, but Dimitri took her small hand and kissed it. She gave him a look but he only smiled.

The trio took rides in the back of a wagon through parts of Germany.

"Now, elbows in and sit up straight, and never slurp the stroganoff."

"I never cared for stroganoff!"

"Oh, Anya, you said that like a Romonov!"

They rode horseback. Anya quickly learned, and soon rode freely as though she had been doing it her entire life. Anya and Dimitri were fierce competitors but Anya always won.

On the bus, they taught her even more. "Next, we memorize the names of the royalty. Here we have Kropotkin," Vlad showed her a picture, "he shot Potemkin. Here is dear old Uncle Vanya, loved his vodka. This is Baron Pushkin, he was really short. There's Count Anatoly, he had a large wart on his nose. Oh, look! Here's Count Sergei, always with a feathered cap. I hear recently he's gotten very round," he patted his own stomach to demonstrate.

"Yes! And I recall his yellow cat," cried Anya, standing up. Pooka, at the sound of the word "cat," leaped into her arms.

While Anya was petting him, Vlad whispered to Dimitri, "I don't think we ever told her that."

Finally they reached their destination: Stralsund. They explored the harbor town, each looking in different shops. Anya excitedly took everything in, longing to have something of her own. Vlad searched for a gift for Sophie, and Dimitri mysteriously disappeared somewhere. They stayed in a small, dirty bed and breakfast that night. At midday, they boarded the _Tasha._

"We're going to Paris!" Anya shouted joyfully from the deck. Maybe, just maybe, she was going home to her family at last.

A/N-- Come on, people, you know you want to review! _And _I figured out how to let anonymous reviews in, so now you have no excuse[breaks down sobbing please, please, PLEASE review!


	5. Aboard the Tasha

Disclaimer: Even if I did own it, which I don't, what would I do with it?

A/N-- Aww, you guys are great. Thanks A Catholic Girl (again) and Grace Tempest for the reviews. I now have reviews from _three whole people. _Isn't it great? Thanks for the fav, AngelMegan Janell. You should leave a comment, too. Oh, no. I sound obsessed, don't I? Sigh. Oh, well. I guess that's what I get for having no life. Here's chapter five. It's also a bit short, but the next one should be a lot longer, I hope.

Below deck, Anya, Dimitri, and Vlad stored the luggage in their cabin.

"I'll wait for you upstairs. It's too crowded down here," Vlad said, and left the room.

Anya went to follow him, but Dimitri called her back. He held out a flop of blue material. "Here. I bought you a dress." He smiled, looking very proud of himself.

She eyed the lace ruffles around the baggy collar and skirt, but she didn't want to hurt his efforts. Pooka, also observing Anya receive the dress, smiled and shook his head. These humans. Would they ever learn? Anya picked up the bottom and looked in.

Peering in through the neck, Dimitri asked, "What are you looking for?"

"The Russian Circus! I think it's still in here."

Dimitri scoffed, though he was obviously hurt. "Just put it on." He leaped up the stairs after Vlad, pausing to look back at Anya.

"I could fix this," thought Anya. She twirled around with it. "Yes, this is good." She saw it in a different light now. This was the first store bought dress she had ever had, at least as long as she could remember. And it was from Dimitri.

On the upper deck of the ship, Vlad and Dimitri were playing chess.

"What's taking her so long?" Dimitri demanded as Vlad moved a knight, putting him in check.

"Be patient, my boy. Maybe it didn't quite fit. She's probably just adjusting it." Vlad, too, was bored. He wanted to see Anya in something other than the shapeless heap of cloth the orphanage had given her. And perhaps, then Dimitri would see just how much he cared for her, if only they would dance… He put his chin in his hand and moved his queen into place. "Checkmate," He said in a bored tone. A noise behind him made him look around to see Anya. "You look wonderful!"

Anya twirled the skirt and smiled. She had taken most of the lace off and added a belt, but otherwise she loved her new dress. She had also let her hair down, which was much longer than he had realized. It reached down to her waist, curling at the end. "Now, you are dressed for a ball. And you will learn to dance for one as well. Dimitri?"

Dimitri, who had been staring at Anya, laughed shyly and looked down. "I--I'm not very good at it." Vlad took his arm and pushed him toward her anyway.

"One-two-three, one-two-three," Vlad clapped, watching a very nervous Dimitri almost trip over his own feet. "No, no. Anya, you don't lead. Let him," he said, stopping them. He was kind, but Dimitri looked absolutely terrified.

They approached each other again, taking up a dancing stance more carefully this time. Vlad was humming a waltz in the background. Dimitri relaxed enough to try to talk.

"That dress is, uh, really beautiful," he started awkwardly.

"You think so?" She asked shyly.

"Y-yes. I mean, it looked nice on the hanger, but it looks even better on you. Y-you should wear it," he stumbled over his words.

"I _am_ wearing it."

"Oh, right. O-of course. I-I'm just trying to give you a, uh…"

"Compliment?"

"Yes. Of course, yes." He laughed timidly.

They twirled around the small space of the deck, twisting around and relaxing into tempo. The sun was low over the sea, transforming the sky into a mirage of deep golds and pale violets. Anya daintily spun away from and back into Dimitri, with a perfect grace he had never seen her perform. Vlad watched them with envy. It had been so long since he had had somebody he could dance with like that. He looked at Pooka.

"Will this make Dimitri change his mind? Oh, how could I let this happen? If Dimitri doesn't go through with this, what will happen? I never should have let them dance."

Anya and Dimitri were still spinning to the imaginary waltz. "I'm feeling…a little bit dizzy," Anya said slowly.

"Kind of light headed?"

"Yeah." Anya stopped turning.

"Probably from spinning. Maybe-maybe we should stop."

"We _have_ stopped."

Dimitri looked mildly surprised, as though he had not realized that there was anything else in the world. "Anya, I…" He couldn't continue. He leaned forward, his face inches from hers. He was not thinking clearly, but he didn't expect her to come closer to him.

A distant bark from Pooka broke the trance. He stepped back and opened his eyes. Patting her hand, he said haltingly, "You're doing fine."

He left as quickly as he could without running, letting the door drop behind him. Anya looked after him, surprised and disappointed. Why had he left?

Vlad, too, was looking worried. What was Dimitri going to do? I have to tell Anya, he thought. "Anya. It's okay. Just give him time: he's never done anything like this before." They sat there until the sun had completely sunk beneath the ocean, and a cold wind began stirring the water. "Oh, no. It looks like there's going to be a storm tonight. They hurried to the stairs just as a light rain began washing over the ship.

When they got to the cabin, they found Dimitri forming a nest out of their suitcases on the floor. "You two can take the bunk beds," he said stiffly.

"Ooh, I want the top one," said Vlad quickly, trying to lighten the mood. It was so different than a few days ago, when the three of them had laughed so easily with each other.

"All right. Just don't let him squish you, Anya." He lay down on the floor and pulled a blanket over himself with his back to them.

Soon he was snoring, and Anya and Vlad had changed into pajamas. They sat on the floor, talking, and Anya was brushing out her long read hair. The storm now rocked the boat violently, and they could hear distant waves crashing against the sides. Vlad groaned.

"Are you all right?" She asked, looking closely at his paling face.

"Fine, fine." He brushed away her concern. "Just riddled with envy. Look at him," he pointed at Dimitri. "He can sleep through anything."

Pooka was jumping around Dimitri's travel bag. He jumped in, but Dimitri kicked and it fell on the floor. Pooka pulled out a small round box and approached Anya with it. She took it.

Vlad sighed again, his eyes half closed. "Pretty jewelry box, isn't it?"

"Jewelry box? Are you sure that's what it is?" She was staring at it, holding it up to the light. The gold reflected the pale lamp light and it glittered. It seemed so familiar…

"What else could it be?"

"I don't know. Something else--something to do with a mystery…" She saw beautiful couples dancing, and the same waltz that she had heard when she first met Dimitri came into her head. So familiar… Where had she heard it? Pooka licked her foot and she giggled, breaking her memories. She had been so close. She looked up at Vlad, who was climbing into the top bunk. "Is that possible?"

He shrugged. "Anything's possible. You taught Dimitri how to waltz, didn't you?"

Anya smiled. Yes, it was possible. She clapped her hands and Pooka jumped into her arms. They crawled into the bed.

"Sleep well, Your Highness."

"Sweet dreams, Pooka."

Late that night, the storm worsened. Waves tossed the ship in circles, and lightning flashed dangerously close to the main mast.

Despite this, Anya dreamt pleasant dreams. _She lay in a summery field, dressed in a light, blue and white swimming dress. She sat up and saw a small boy. He looked like he might be her younger brother. He motioned for her to follow. Curious, she stood and skipped after him. She wanted to know if they were related: maybe she had found her family!_

On the ship, Anya got out of her bed. She opened the door and slammed it behind her, sleepwalking out into the stormy night. Pooka awoke and heard the door close. He could not open it. He went to Dimitri and began barking furiously.

_The boy climbed a small hill. Still following, Anya laughed. He reached the top and turned. "Come on!" he called. She fell back, suddenly losing her balance, but simply continued laughing._

The waves tipped the boat and Anya was thrown against the railing. She smiled in her sleep. Pooka was still yipping in Dimitri's ear.

"What? Wha-wha-what? Pooka!" He demanded furiously. When the dog kept up his panicked woofs, he looked to Anya. She wasn't there. Pooka ran to the door and scratched at it, whining. "Anya? Anya!" He leapt up and scrambled through the suitcases, pushing them aside. He raced through the door, the storm tossing him around the hallway. Running up the stairs, panic flooded his mind.

_The boy led her to a small cliff. Over the edge was a little pond where four other people were wading. Three girls about her age splashed each other, while a grown man was walking toward them. "Come on. Jump!" The boy in front of her sprang over the edge, joining in the splashing game. She giggled, watching their antics. This seemed so familiar, just as the music box had. So perfect, as though she belonged here, and nothing could harm her._

Anya was on top of the railing now. Dimitri saw her. "Anya! Anya, no!" He ran to her.

_"Jump!" The man lost his friendliness. He screamed at her. He began to change, he turned into a giant demon, and the light field turned to a dark, dangerous world. "JUMP!" the demon shouted. He took her arm and tried to pull her forward. She fought back, but he was so strong. The girls, too, had turned into demons. One of them grabbed her from behind._

Dimitri grabbed Anya around the middle and pulled her away from the edge of the ship.

"No, no," she said weakly, pounding him with her small fists. She was too weak to get away from him.

"Anya! Anya, wake up," he tried to calm her. He grabbed her arms.

She opened her eyes. She was breathing heavily, a great fear in her eyes. She looked up at him, seeming so lost. "The Romonovs…"

"The Romonov what? What are you talking about?"

"I keep seeing faces, so many faces…" she sobbed. Then she put her arms around his waist and buried her face in his shirt. She cried and cried.

Surprised, Dimitri didn't know what to do. Finally he put his arms down around her shoulders, allowing himself to rest his head on hers. "It's all right," he said soothingly. "You're safe now. I won't let anything happen to you."

The rain let up, and the wind settled into a steady breeze. They stood there for a long time, Dimitri still trying to calm the trembling Anya. After a while, they broke apart.

Eyes red and puffy, Anya looked down in shame. "I'm sorry you had to see me like this. I've never done anything like that before. It's just, this dream I had… I think it was about my family. I wanted to know about them, and I followed them. Then, I don't know, they wanted me to jump over the edge of the boat. I was so scared… Thank you, Dimitri. You-you saved my life."

"Are you crazy? You scared me to death," He began quickly, then caught himself. "What would I do without my Anastasia? Paid all that money for a trip to Paris for nothing?"

She smiled, then sniffled. "Anyway, I'm sorry I made you stand out here in this freezing rain." She was quickly turning back into the Anya he knew and--no. He wouldn't say it. "We should go back inside."

"Yes. Tomorrow is your day. We should reach France in the morning. Then, onto Paris, Sophie, and the Dowager Empress. Then we'll find out if you truly are the Grand Duchess Anastasia." He smiled as they walked back to the cabin together.


	6. Arriving in Paris

-1Disclaimer: I don't own it! Don't own it, you hear me?

A/N-- Thanks everybody! You're all so nice. Thanks, stsgirlie, for the comment and fav and alert. Yeah, that last chapter was the first one that I didn't actually reference to the dialogue of the movie, so some of it changed. Glad you liked it anyway! Okay, so I had to split the Paris chapter in two parts 'cause I ran out of time. This is really, really short, and I won't be able to update for a while because my computer is going bye-bye for reasons I don't particularly want to discuss. Anyway, here's chapter six.

"There it is," announced Dimitri the next morning, displaying the approaching land from the _Tasha. _

"_That's_ Paris?" asked Anya doubtfully. She eyed the low buildings and untidy cobblestone streets, similar to those they had left behind in Stralsund.

"No. Paris is farther inland. But this is France."

"Oh." Feeling rather sheepish, she looked at Vlad.

"Yes. Oh, Sophie! I am so close to you! I will see you before noon today!"

They rode in a bus through the poor streets of _Le Havre_. It reminded Anya of the orphanage she had left. That was so long ago now, she could hardly believe that it had ever existed. Yet meeting the Dowager Empress didn't seem real either: nothing existed except their travels together.

"I'm going to go through a last minute check. Where was Uncle Boris from?"

Anya grimaced. They had gone over this so much in Germany… They had other things to worry about now. "What if Sophie doesn't recognize me?"

"She will," he insisted. "You're Anastasia."

"It's just that--"

"What?"

"Well, three days ago I didn't have any past at all, and now I'm trying to remember an entire lifetime!"

"That's what you've got me for. Now, where was Uncle Boris from?"

"Moscow?" Dimitri looked away, biting his lip. "No, no! Odessa!"

"Ah, yes, I remember so well," the young girl was saying. She had red hair and blue eyes, but she everything about her was fake. "Uncle Yoshin was from Moscow. Uncle Boris was from Odessa, and every spring--"

"We would take picnics by the shore on Sundays. Haven't you anything better to do?" demanded the Dowager Empress Marie. She stood, leaning on her cane, her sad blue eyes fierce with anger.

"Oh, no. Now you have to leave, now. Come, come, there you go, bye-bye," said Sophie, waving her out through the open double doors. Returning to the table, she continued, "Oh, I must say, I'm so sorry. I thought that one surely was real. Well, she real. I mean, she was human, of course, but not _our_ real. But we won't be fooled next time, no, I'm going to think of really hard questions."

"No!" Marie said sharply. Sophie, taken by surprise, sat down hard in a chair. "My heart can't take it anymore. I will see no more girls claiming to be Anastasia." She took her photograph of the eight year old girl and laid it face down. "No more. No more."

Vlad raised an enormous fist and banged twice on the elegant front door of the two story Parisian house. A maid immediately opened it, and, curtsying, asked, "Oui, Monsieur?"

A blonde woman behind her squealed and pushed her out of the way, posing in the door frame herself instead. Taking her hand and kissing it, Vlad said, "Sophie, Stanislovskievna, Somorkov-Smirnoff!"

"Vladimir, Vanya Voinitsky Vasilovich. Well, this _is_ unexpected. Oh, but look at me. Where are my manners? Come in, come in everyone." They allowed themselves to be led over the threshold. "I'm palpitating with amazement and shock and surprise. All _three_! Please, make yourselves comfortable." She left, leaving the trio awkwardly in the beautiful sitting room. Dimitri stood by the fireplace, while Anya sat in a chair and Vlad sat down on the couch, Anya fidgeting nervously.

"Sit still," Dimitri hissed in her ear, then resumed his pacing near the wall.

Sophie returned with a tray of tea then. She set it on the coffee table then settled herself next to Vlad. "May I present Her Imperial Highness, the Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolayevna."

"Oh my goodness. She certainly does _look_ like Anastasia. But so did many of the others. Now, where were you born?"

"At the Peterhoff Palace," said Anya with no hesitation.

"Correct. And, how does Anastasia like her tea?"

"I don't like tea," Anya told her, changing the "Anastasia" to "I" very deliberately. "Just hot water and lemon."

"Good…" Hours passed, as Sophie asked more and more questions about her history. "And, finally, you'll most likely find this an impertinent question, but indulge me. How did you escape during the siege of the palace?"

Dimitri leaned on the mantle and ran his hand through his hair. He had not told Anya the answer. He had not even considered the possibility. He had always considered it a personal memory, one that only he, the Empress, and Anastasia knew. Sophie wouldn't know, but Marie would. What were they going to do now?

Anya was thinking. "There was a boy… A boy who worked in the palace." She considered it further. "He--he opened a wall… I'm sorry. That's crazy. Walls opening…" She laughed a little, but Dimitri was staring at her. She knew. The realization fully hit him then: She truly was Anastasia. She had found her family. She would stay with her grandmother. She was a princess…

"So, is she a Romanov," asked Vlad, interrupting his thoughts.

"Well, she answered every question…"

"You hear that, child? You did it!" Vlad jumped up and danced around, hugging Anya and swinging her around. Sophie giggled and stood. "So, when do we go see the empress?"

"I'm afraid you don't," said Sophie sadly.

"Come again, my pet?"

"The empress simply won't allow it."

"Now, Sophie, my bright diamond, surely you can think of some way to arrange a brief interview with the dowager?" He hugged her around the middle from behind. "I refuse to budge until an answer occurs to you. Please?" He let go.

"Well… Oh! Do you like the Russian ballet? I believe they're performing in Paris tonight. The Dowager Empress and I _love _the ballet. We _never_ miss it." She winked.

Dimitri excused himself and went out to the quiet courtyard to think. He didn't have much time, however, because Vlad came rushing out behind him.

"WE DID IT!" He shouted. "We're going to see her Imperial Highness tonight!" Vlad picked Dimitri up and jumped around with him.

"But Vlad--Vlad. She _is_ the princess."

"Anya was extraordinary," he continued, completely ignoring Dimitri. "_I _almost believed her. And Sophie--"

Anya ran out through the double doors, breathless. Her face shone with excitement. "Sophie wants to take us shopping for the ballet! Shopping in Paris, can you believe it?" She twirled around, imagining what it would be like. She had never been in any sort of shop, let alone Paris.

"Yes, my dear," said Sophie, coming outside after her. "Tonight you shall see all of Paris!"

A/N-- I can't believe I actually used the words "untidy," "rather," and "elegant" all in one chapter. This note is actually about an upcoming chapter. I need an opinion from my four to five readers. For the ending, do you think I should write in the fight scene (which is actually pretty important) with a new random bad guy (I actually do have one, if you guys want to use this ending) or should I find another way for Dimitri to redeem himself. I know, that's spoilers, but you've probably all seen the movie anyway. So, if you want you're opinion heard, you'd better leave a comment or send me a message. (Giggles at her own brilliant plan for getting more comments) See you soon, RWZ


	7. Paris Holds the Key

-1Disclaimer-- I don't own it, or any of the characters. Or settings. I'm not really sure who does. It's just not me.

A/N-I'm really sorry it took so long for me to get this chapter. It's not even that long. I lost the use of my computer for a week, and then I had this major history project, then an English project…I just didn't have time. Anyway, this is the very short chapter seven where Anya's world comes to life as she experiences Paris. It's my favorite musical sequence in the movie. Well, here goes…

Anya stepped out of the Chanel into the Parisian afternoon, twirling around in her new summery dress. It was lilac, with a pink flower on the left shoulder and much shorter than any other dress she had ever had. Her high heeled shoes were the same shade and made her almost as tall as Dimitri, who was staring at her, stunned. She grabbed his elbow and smiled. He wore a new suit and looked very uncomfortable.

"Paris. I can't believe I'm actually here. We're finally here!"

"Yes! Welcome, my friends, to Paris," said Sophie, coming up behind them. She bought several pink roses and gave two to Anya. "This is from me, for your first night in the city of lights!"

"Thank you," said Anya. She lifted them to her nose and scented the flowery aroma. She had never really ever had a present, even one as simple as a flower, until she had met Dimitri. Now Sophie, too, was giving her a gift.

Unsure what to do with the other flower, Anya watched Sophie, who tucked hers into Vlad's coat. Anya turned to Dimitri and did the same, keeping the other for herself.

"Forget where you're from, now Anya. You're in France!" She pushed Anya and Dimitri closer together. They looked away shyly, but both caught the other sneaking a look back. "Now, come."

Sophie began walking, or dancing, more like, down the street. Anya followed, the same energetic feeling coursing through her. She caught Dimitri's arm as she started. He stumbled to keep his footing as she dragged him along.

"Anya, Anya. Slow down. We've got all day. Relax, okay?" Dimitri tried to convince her to stop dashing about the streets, to little effect.

By the time the sun had set, the four of them had traveled through most of the town. They had seen so many amazing things, at least Anya had thought so. There was a man standing on an airplane, a woman walking an enormous cat, and a painter who had drawn wonderful scenes.

"Let's have something to eat, shall we?"

"Where?" asked Anya, bubbling up again.

"_La Moulin._"

They were seated at a round table on the edge of a dance floor. A minute later, five cancan dancers came out.

"Everyone can cancan!" said Sophie, kicking her leg up. Her shoe flew off and landed on the back of the stage. "Oh, dear."

"I'll get it," volunteered Vlad. He stood. Weaving between the dancers, he retrieved the shoe. He tipped his hat to one of them on his way off the floor.

Anya laughed, putting her hand on Dimitri's shoulder and pointing at Vlad. Dimitri replied with a nervous chuckle. Yes, Vlad was making a spectacle of himself. Anya was intoxicated with the excitement of this grand new place, but it had not effected Dimitri as much. The looming prospect of meeting the Dowager Empress still haunted him, even if Anya had forgotten. Of course, there was nothing to worry about. She _was_ the Duchess. Yet he continued to feel anxious about the reunion.

The music changed to a slower waltz, and the atmosphere of the restaurant quieted.

"May I have this dance, Miss?" A young man came up behind Anya and offered her a hand.

"Yes," said Anya breathlessly. She got up and followed him away from the table. The spun to the waltz as Dimitri watched them. Soon, she was dancing with another boy.

Dimitri knew she was the Duchess. She had found her family, at last. He was happy for her. But it meant he would have to say goodbye. "Oh, Anya. I'm going to miss you. It's not a game anymore. This is the end…"

"Hmm? What's that?" asked Vlad.

"Nothing," said Dimitri quietly. "Nothing."

When they left the restaurant, night had fallen. The sky was a deep blue streaked with purple. A full moon hung low in the sky.

"Now we must see the Eiffel Tower before the ballet," said Sophie.

They rode an elevator to the top, all the while listening to Anya chatter on about how perfect this day was. "I've three new dresses! Can you just imagine, that's more than I've had in practically my entire life and now I have four at one time! Did you see that big cat? Was it a cheetah? Oh, dancing was so much fun! I've never had so much fun in my life. Oh, thank you Sophie. It was such a wonderful time. I can't wait for the ballet! Why was that man standing on the plane? Those fireworks were simply lovely, don't you think? Are you okay, Dimitri?" She said this all in about one breath. Finally, noticing Dimitri's forlorn look, she stopped. "Are you okay?" she repeated.

"Yes, I'm fine. I had a wonderful time, too." _I'm really going to miss you._

"Oh!" They had reached the top and Anya was breathless. They could see all of Paris laid out before them. Even Dimitri momentarily forgot his troubles. "It's…beautiful."

_Paris holds the key to your past, Anya. And to your heart._


End file.
